John j



J-. J. TOWER.

(No Model.)

VISE.

Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

WITNESSES: I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. TOWER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

vise.

SPECIFICATION forming partrof Letters Patent No. 530,733, dated December 11, 1894.

Application filed August 2'7, 1394- Serial No. 52L40 (No model.) I

forming a permanent face, which owing to the,

rough use and heavy strains to which a machinlsts vise is necessarily subjected, becomes indented, worn, upset at the edges, or

otherwise unfitted for clamping finished work, or holding parallel work evenly and firmly. Again, vise jaws when provided with movable face pieces as heretofore constructed have been incapable of holding general work, by reason of the adaptability of the same exclusively to taper work, and the lack of means for securing the tilting face piece in a central position except in instances where the entire jaw has been made angularly movable. Thus in such face pieces work could not be held heretofore when inserted between either of the extreme sides of the jaw faces as usually practiced by machinists in finishing and filing small parts, or doing end work on long pieces suspended vertically in the vise.

The object of my invention is, first, to render the rigid steel face of a vise jaw renewable at small expense; second, to render the clamping faces of the jaws interchangeable for different classes of work; and third, to render the vise readily convertible to hold parallel or taper work.

To these ends my invention consists in certain novel subject-matter, hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1, is a side elevation, partly in section on the line mm, Fig. 4, showing a suitable vise embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3, illustrate sections of different forms of jaw faces applicable to Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a plan view of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of one of the steel jaw facesdetached. Fig. 6, is a sectional viewof the upper part of a vise jaw, showing a modification of construction, the steel face being separated; and Fig. 7, a plan view of one of the steel faces in Fig. 6, detached. Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing a further modification of construction; Fig. 9, a similar'view of another modification taken in section at the line yy, Fig. 10, and Fig. 10, a horizontal section at zz, Fig. 9. I

, In Figs. 1 and 2, the steel faces A A, are mortised into the jaws B, B, and may be removed endwise and replaced when worn, by new ones, or by others having different shaped faces adapted for various classes of work, such as chipping, filing, or wood working. The grooves a, in the jaws B, and ribs b, in the faces A, are curved, as indicated, andcontinue from end to end of the pieces. The grooves and ribs may be closely fitted with a driven fit to hold them in place when inserted,

or they may be held in position by any otherwell known or suitable means.

By referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, it will be seen that the upper groove a, and rib b, are located in as close proximity as possible to the top surface of the jaw, and while the lower grooves and ribs (1, b, tend to prevent both lateral and vertical displacement of the joint, the said upper groove and rib cab, will, owing to their proximity to the top surface of the jaw, serve to keep the seam of the joint which is exposed to the deposit of filings or dirt, closed firmly together and will resist the tendency to gradually open said seam by repeated vertical blows of a hammer on the piece A, or work clamped thereby, which would gradually displace such separate face piece if constructed as heretofore, having the only groove and rib of the jointata considerable distance below the top surface of the jaw.

The jaw faces A, A, are each segmental as seen in Figs. 4, 5,7 and 10, for the purpose of accommodating tapered work as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Any convenient and suitable cross-sectional contour of grooves a, and ribs b, may be employed, such as shown in the instances of Figs. 3, 6, 8, 9, or otherwise.

The steel faces A, A, of segmental form,are fitted loosely into the jaws B, B, and in order that the faces may be readily secured or adjusted for parallel and general work, 1 provide means, such for example as a catch or key 6, Fig. 3, adapted to enter a notch 6, (see Fig. 5) in one of the tennons b, of the face piece A. The key e is forced up automatically into the notch 6 by means of a spiral spring 7, when the face A is centered, or depressed by application of the finger to the handle 8, to disengage the face A, for taper work.

Any other suitable means of securing the face piece A in a central position than that shown may be provided within. the scope of my invention; such for example as a set screw or other clamping device.

By the provision of means for securing the pieces A, in central positions, the vise is ren dered capable of general use. Small pieces of work or pieces which necessarily depend below the frame of the vise when held, may thereby be firmly clamped between the jaws at either of the lateral extremities thereof without displacing the face pieces.

Ball bearings may be employed as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, especiallyin large sizes of vises, to ease the shifting movement of the faces A.

In Fig. 1, the face piece A, is adapted for chipping. In Fig. 2, it is adapted for filing, and in Fig. 3, for wood-work.

I do not claim a vise in which one or both jaws are provided with a movable face piece made with one side straight and the other an arc of a circle,entering a corresponding recess, and sliding endwise therein, to vary the angle of the face of the jaw, as in Letters Patout No. 125,625, but

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A vise jaw having a seat in its overhanging part formed in the are of a circle, a face piece having a segmental back fitting said seat and sliding endwise therein to vary the angle of its face, and suitable means of securing said face piece at a central position.

2. Thecombination with a vise jaw and a movable face piece connected thereto by a sliding joint provided with grooves 11, and ribs b, extending lengthwise of the face piece, adapted to interlock, one set of said grooves and ribs being located at the upper part of the joint in close proximity to the top surface of the jaw interlocking in such manner as to prevent the outward displacement of the face piece and opening of the seam of the joint at said top surface as described.

3. The combination with the jaw B, and the movable face piece A, connected thereto by a sliding joint in the arc of a circle, of ball bearings interposed in the said joint substan tiaily as shown.

Signed at Boonton, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, this 23d day of August, A. D. 1894.

JOHN J. TOWER. Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. COLE, WM. H. TOWER. 

